Journey As One
by xImagineThatx
Summary: When a wildfire forces the four clans to abandon their home, six young cats awake to find that they have been left behind. Despite their differences, the cats know they must work together to be reunited with their clans. But as they embark on the journey of a lifetime, the six begin to feel as if there is a reason they were left behind.


**Journey As One**

_Prologue-_

The heat was truly unbearable. Burning trees crashed to the ground and caused the once lush undergrowth to catch fire and spread faster than any cat could run. The wildfire that consumed the forest seemed to be sucking the oxygen away and replacing it with a thick, choking smoke. Every escape seemed to be blocked with towering flames, but the cats refused to give in.

"Stay together!" a powerful voice yowled over the sound of the crackling fire. He was a lean tom with sleek golden fur that seemed to grow brighter from the surrounding flames. Behind him, all of Riverclan followed in a tight group, some trembling in fear and others searching desperately for a way out.

"Rushstar! An opening!" a she cat called from behind as she hurried to the front of the pack to address her leader.

Rushstar, the golden tom, followed her line of view to an opening beneath a fallen log. It was clear of flames. His light blue eyes brightened with hope and he flicked his tail as a signal for his clan to follow before approaching the log.

Once at the opening, he leaned down and peered through to the other side. Relief immediately swept over him; they had reached the river. "One at a time," he called before squeezing through the opening.

On the other side of the log, there was a small, sandy shore that led into the water. All around him was complete chaos as the forest, their home, crashed and burned. Across the water, the leader could see Thunderclan beginning to cross the river. They were using stones that protruded from the water to hop across, but as he watched in dismay, a young tom slipped from one of the rocks and was swept down stream.

As his clan began to emerge one by one onto the shore, Rushstar instructed his deputy to lead them across the river. The adept Riverclan cats dove into the water without hesitation and began to swim to safety.

"How many more?" Rushstar asked a sleek brown tom as he squeezed beneath the log and arrived on the shore.

The tom shook out his pure brown coat and blinked his round blue eyes at Rushstar, "Just one," he told his leader before leaping into the water.

Just as the leader turned to encourage the remaining cat, an eruption of flames burst over the log and the trees that surrounded the river bank. He felt a searing pain lash across his flank as the fire grew ever closer to him. Forced to back up to the water's edge, Rushstar watched in horror as a large oak on the shore snapped in half and landed with a splash into the water; directly onto the brown tom.

"Otterclaw!" Rushstar yowled, but his voice was drowned out by the roaring flames that loomed over him. He scanned the surface of the water, but could not find his fallen warrior.

Heart pounding in his chest, he glanced back to see if the final cat had made it through, but the fire had completely blocked the path. He did not want to leave a fellow cat behind, but as a leader, he knew that his clan needed him on the other side of the river. Swallowing back his defeat, the leader dove into the water and hurried after his clan.

Swimming swiftly through the familiar water, the Riverclan leader managed to throw one last glance over his shoulder. The last thing he saw of his old home was Otterclaw's limp body being swept downstream toward the remains of the burning forest.

XoXoXoXoXoXoXoXo

_Two Days Later_

The fire had ceased, while the smoke continued to cloud the air. The forest had burned, yet a cat remained. His slick, water resistant coat was covered in a layer of ash. Eyes shut and body limp, he would have appeared dead if it weren't for the slight rise and fall of his chest.

The tom had been lying on the river bank for almost two whole days. Only when the water lapped at the shore and touched his hind paws did Otterclaw finally awake.

His bright blue eyes flew open and he immediately fell into a fit of coughs as he breathed in a gulp of ashes. Otterclaw blinked the burning cinders out of his eyes and rubbed his stinging nose with a forepaw. It took him a few long minutes until he was able to sit upright on the shore.

Taking a long look at his surroundings, the young Riverclan warrior was devastated. Almost every tree was gone. It was a grey, barren landscape that made him feel empty inside. The only recognizable feature of the landscape was the river itself. No cats were in sight and he could not distinguish any scents. His home was...gone. His family...his clan...where had they gone? What had happened?

Squeezing his eyes shut, the last thing he could remember was telling his sister, Littlesplash, that he smelled smoke in the air. Everything after that was a blank. He couldn't even remember seeing a single flame. But the worst part was that he had no idea where his clan had fled to.

Trying to draw in a clean breath of air, Otterclaw leaned toward the water before him and lapped up a few gulps. His stomach grumbled hungrily, but the tom knew that there would be no food for miles. When he felt well enough to walk, he rose unsteadily to his paws and began to pad along the river bank.

_"There's no smoke,"_ his sister had said, _"You need to stop making up stories, Otterclaw. Remember what happened last time?"_

He shook his head suddenly as if to clear the thoughts from his mind. Even though he couldn't remember a thing about the fire, he knew that he had been right about the smoke.

Guilt flooded Otterclaw's mind as he realized that he could've warned his clan ahead of time. He could've easily told Rushstar that he smelt smoke in the air, but he was simply afraid of being wrong again. He was tired of looking like a fool in front of his clan.

Letting out a long sigh, Otterclaw stopped at the edge of the water and peered down at his reflection. Familiar round, blue eyes stared back at him. His otter-like brown coat was hardly recognizable beneath the layer of ash that covered his body. He flicked an ear and watched as the gray cinders floated down and landed on the surface of the water.

Although Otterclaw was never one to give up, he found himself at a loss. For the first time in his life, he was truly alone.

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**Characters-**

Otterclaw-_ A young Riverclan warrior with a sleek brown pelt, round blue eyes, and a lean body. Strong willed and somewhat of an underdog in his clan, the young tom is always trying to prove himself, even when there is no need to._

Firefox:_ A young Windclan she cat with bright green eyes and a firey red pelt that is covered in unique black and white markings. Bold, honest, and seemingly fearless, this she cat is determined to accomplish anything she sets her mind to. _(Submitted by Blizzardbrain)

Dawnfeather:_ A pretty Thunderclan she cat with a slim frame, pale gray pelt, and bright amber eyes. Gentle, thoughtful, and strategic, this young warrior would be one to solve conflicts with words, not claws. _(Submitted by Bluey306)

Blackstripe:_ A Shadowclan tom with gray fur covered black tabby stripes, one white paw, and amber eyes. Suspicious, irritable, and quiet, this warrior has been labled an outsider his entire life, even within his own clan. _(Submitted by Thunderous Intentions)

Pebblepaw:_ A Riverclan medicine cat apprentice with thin, mottled gray fur, white front paws, and light blue eyes. Shy, yet helpful and kind, this young she cat began training as medicine cat due to her drive to keep other cats healthy. _(Submitted by Rebel Islander)

Swiftpaw:_ A small Thunderclan apprentice with a lean frame, dark gray fur, and electric blue eyes. Carefree, adventurous, and somewhat annoying, this young tom has found that his best skill is lightening up the mood in stressful situations. _(Submitted by Nightsky0208)

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**AN: Now that I have selected all of the characters, the story can officially begin. Thank you to every who submitted a cat! If I did not chose yours, I apologize, but I hope that you continue to read the story! There will be a chance to submit other cats (probably rouges and loners) in the future.**


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